


Love Is For Souls, Not Bodies

by thinkoutsidethebex



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, WandaVision (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:49:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28785231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thinkoutsidethebex/pseuds/thinkoutsidethebex
Summary: Wanda Maximoff is devastated at the loss of her love, Vision. She’d hoped using the infinity stones to bring back their friends would be enough to return him to her, but when the dust cleared he was still gone. In desperation, she turns to the only person she can think of to help her: Shuri. When they try and rebuild Vision something goes wrong and Wanda finds herself trapped in what’s left of his mind, only it’s not what she expected. Time is against her as she struggles to free them both before the world they’re trapped in collapses around them.
Relationships: Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Comments: 9
Kudos: 26





	1. Episode One

**Author's Note:**

> This is my take on WandaVision, based solely on the first couple trailers we saw.

“Incoming!” 

Wanda raised her hand, keeping her eyes on the task in front of her as red tendrils of energy erupted between her fingers. She stopped whatever it was that was flying toward her easily and chuckled softly when she finally looked up. A baseball, no doubt sent rocketing toward her second story window by Nathaniel, hung in midair outside, surrounded by her power. With a gentle flick of her wrist, she sent it tumbling back into the grass where it rolled to a stop at Clint’s feet.

“Thank you!” he called, picking it up and resuming the game with his children. Wanda couldn’t help the smile that formed as she watched the family below her. It had been eight long months since Tony’s funeral, and she had spent all of them on the Barton farm. Clint had offered her the spare room as soon as he realized she had nowhere else to go, with the tower sold and the compound destroyed. Even knowing she was basically homeless, Wanda was hesitant. Clint had just gotten his family back and the last thing she wanted was to watch a happy family reunion, knowing it was something she would never have. After she’d lost Pietro there was a brief time with Vision where she had allowed herself to believe she could have a family again.

And then Thanos happened. 

Bruce’s snap had given her the faintest glimmer of hope. He’d brought so many of them back from the abyss that even in the midst of the battle she caught herself scanning the crowd at every opportunity, desperate to catch a glimpse of him. But when the smoke cleared and the reunions began, her heart broke all over again. Steve had Bucky and Sam, Clint had his wife and children, and even though Wanda was surrounded by her friends, she’d never felt more alone. 

It took some prodding, both from Clint and Laura, but eventually, Wanda agreed to stay with them. Their guest room was fairly private, located in the back of the house with its own attached bath, and surprisingly quiet given it was in a house with three children. For the first couple of weeks, Wanda kept to herself. And she mourned. All the grief she’d held in came crashing down on her to the point that even getting out of bed became an arduous task. Laura would bring her meals during the day and Clint would come to check on her, but neither of them pushed her. They let her work through her heartache in her own time until eventually, she left her room.

They all fell into a routine over the following months and Wanda started to heal. She grew closer to Clint and Laura and the kids as well. Nathaniel, her brother’s namesake, took quite a shine to her and followed her wherever she went. Wanda didn’t mind and she found when she reflected on it later that having him there with her helped her more than she realized. He was curious, albeit quiet, and seemed intent on learning everything he could about her and where she came from. Wanda told him stories about home, and the man who was her brother that shared his name and taught him songs her mother had taught her. He sang them back to her in Sokovian and more than once brought a tear to her eye.

She folded the last of her clothes and tucked them into her suitcase, looking around the room as she sat on the bed. The farmhouse had become her safe haven, a constant in an ever-changing world. It was the first place since the mortar had torn her parents out from under her where she felt she could let her guard down. Maybe that’s why it was so hard for her to leave now. She had made the decision a week ago after waking up in a cold sweat and knocking everything off her dresser without so much as lifting a finger. The nightmare had shaken her to her core, and even as it slipped from her mind like sand from an hourglass, the resolve it had left behind strengthened by the second.

“Dinner’s ready,” Clint said from the door, tugging Wanda free from her racing thoughts. “Laura really went all on this whole ‘last supper’ idea.” Wanda chuckled softly and stood, zipping her suitcase.

“Would you expect anything else?” she asked with a smirk.

“For me, maybe,” he replied, folding his arms in front of his chest and leaning against the doorframe. “For you, definitely not.”

“It’s good to know I’ve made an impression,” Wanda teased. Clint chuckled and watched her pull the suitcase down from the bed. 

“Gonna be weird not having you here,” he remarked, taking stock of the near-empty room. “You sure you wanna go?” Wanda sighed and fought the urge to roll her eyes. Clint and Laura had both been not-so-subtly trying to convince her to stay since she announced her intent to leave. She knew they meant well but the feeling of determination her dream had left in her was growing stronger by the day.

“I’m sure,” she said finally. “I have to.”

“But you don’t even know if it’ll work,” he signed. “What if you’re just chasing your tail?”

“I don’t know how to explain it,” Wanda countered. “I know it might be nothing. I might be wasting everyone’s time but there’s something there. I have to try.” Clint must have seen something different in her eyes because for the first time since Wanda had come to him with her plan, he didn’t fight her on it. Instead, he crossed the room and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head.

“I’ll drive,” he said with a smile. Wanda looked up at him and quirked a brow.

“You know we can’t actually drive there right?” she joked. “It’s important that you know that. In fact, point out Wakanda on a map for me. I’m not entirely convinced you know where it is.”

“Oh, now you’re a comedian?” Clint asked, pinching her side playfully. “You all got to see this amazingly high-tech country without me last time. I’m not missing out again. I’m driving.” The look on his face told Wanda that arguing would be pointless, so instead she just nodded and let Clint lead her down to the dining room.

Laura had in fact gone all out. The table was overloaded with more food than Wanda had ever seen, and the kids were adding more as they entered. When they saw her, all three of them rushed toward her and led her to her spot at the head of the table.

“You’re the guest of dinner!” Nathaniel declared, flashing her a huge smile.

“Honor, baby,” Laura corrected, scooping him up and setting him in his seat. The rest of the family took their seats and dug in, laughing and joking as they ate. Wanda looked them over as they did and felt a surprising lump forming in her throat. Being taken in by this family had saved her, in every way possible, and she wished she had a way to express her gratitude toward them. Words weren’t enough. They’d opened her home and let her mope around, stalking their halls like a ghost, and never asked her for a thing. She felt a hand in hers and turned to face Laura who wore a soft smile on her face. She squeezed Wanda’s hand once gently and nodded. 

“You will always have a home here,” she said. “No questions asked. You’re family.” Wanda blinked back tears and squeezed back, looking over the rest of the Bartons. 

“Thank you,” she said thickly. “For everything.” Clint smiled and raised his glass, prompting his family to do the same.

“To Wanda,” he said simply.

“To Wanda!” the others echoed. Wanda raised her glass silently and took a drink, doing her best to conceal the tears that slipped from her eyes.

After dinner and dessert were over the kids made their way to bed. Wanda hugged them all once, with Nathaniel waiting for last. 

“I have something for you,” she said kneeling in front of him. “My mother gave this to me when I was very little. I was hoping that you could take care of it for me.” She slipped the small necklace off and fastened it around his neck, smiling as it hung across his chest. The star of David glinted in the light as the boy fiddled with it.

“I’ll keep it safe for always,” he said, hugging her around the neck again.

“I know you will, sweet boy,” she whispered, kissing his head. “Now get to bed before your mom yells at us both.” He leaned up to kiss her cheek softly and sniffled in her ear.

“I love you, Auntie Wanda,” he said quietly. 

“I love you too, sweetheart,” she said, feeling a pang in her chest. “For always.”

Instruments thrummed quietly as the Quinjet slid through the clouds. The sun was just barely breaking the horizon when Wanda walked up to the cockpit, yawning and stretching her arms above her head.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Clint called, keeping his eyes on the panel in front of him. “Continental breakfast is served at 8:00.” Wanda rolled her eyes and took the seat next to him.

“Who’s the comedian now?” she asked, drawing her pajama-clad knees to her chest. “How far out are we?”

“Bout fifteen,” he replied, flipping a switch. “You sure about this heading? The map says it’s the middle of a mountain range.”

“When have I ever let you down?”

“Would you like that list chronologically or alphabetically?” Rolling her eyes again, Wanda stood and tousled his hair, leaving him to handle their descent as she went to get dressed. 

Despite Clint’s many protests, Wanda convinced him to maintain their heading. They made it through the cloaked mountain and for the first time since Wanda met him, Clint was speechless. She had to nudge him with her elbow to remind him to take the controls for their landing. She couldn’t blame him for being awestruck as she watched the landscape of Wakanda fly past their windows. Even though she’d been here before the beauty of the country was still overwhelming. They landed next to the palace and descended the ramp at the back of the jet as a group started toward them. The Dora Milaje lead the pack, headed by their general Okoye, and at the rear came Princess Shuri and Queen Ramonda.

“Welcome back, Wanda,” Shuri greeted, smiling brightly. Wanda returned the smile and accepted the hug the princess offered her. She was slightly surprised by the greeting but welcomed it all the same. The last interaction they’d had was rushed and strained, to say the least, and after the battle with Thanos and Tony’s funeral, the Wakandans had quickly returned home. Relief warmed Wanda’s smile as she pulled back.

“Thank you for having us,” she said, turning to a still awestruck Clint. “This is Clint Barton, one of the original Avengers. Clint, this is Princess Shuri.” Clint shook her hand once and looked around.

“Hell of a place you’ve got here,” he remarked. 

“We do our best,” Shuri replied. “May I introduce you both to my mother, Queen Ramonda. I don’t believe you got the chance to meet her on your last visit. The Queen Mother approached them both with a soft smile on her face. Despite her friendly air, Wanda couldn’t help but feel intimidated by her. Her presence was larger than anyone Wanda had ever met, and she almost felt like she needed to bow her head when Ramonda took her hands. 

“My son, King T’Challa sends his regards,” she said, the regal quality of her voice only adding to Wanda’s reverence of her. “He regrets being unable to meet you here but asked me to tell you our home is open to you both for as long as you need.” Wanda and Clint nodded softly and thanked her as she smiled and turned to leave. Shuri looped her arm through Wanda’s and pulled her close.

“She’s not nearly as intimidating as she looks,” she whispered, turning to the Dora after. “Okoye, would you take Clint to the guest suites? Wanda and I have work to do.” Okoye said nothing, only nodded as she and the other Dora lead a still wonderstruck Clint in the opposite direction. 

Shuri and Wanda made their way to the lab, chatting and catching up as they went. Wanda’s mind wandered to the last time she was here, half-dragging a wounded Vision through the halls, and realized how little she’d taken in at that time. She allowed her eyes to scan the pristine interior, the cool vibranium glinting in the morning sun. The palace was massive with towering ceilings and expansive hallways splayed out before them. Her entire room from the Barton farm could fit inside the hallway she was currently in with room leftover. Shuri led Wanda through them expertly, barely looking where she was going as they talked. They arrived at Shuri’s lab quickly and Wanda found herself as astonished as Clint had been when they left him. The room was enormous with blinking screens everywhere and techs working on projects all around them. Along the far wall, Wanda spotted a prototype Black Panther suit hooked up to a computer. 

“I must admit I was rather surprised to get your call,” Shuri said, leading her to a small work station to the right of the room. “After everything that happened here, I assumed you wouldn’t want to come back.” Wanda took a seat beside her and sighed deeply, looking at the floor. 

“I didn’t expect to if I’m honest,” she said softly. “This was the last place he…” Shuri’s face fell slightly as she shifted in her seat. 

“Wanda…I’m so sorry,” she said quietly. “I really thought it would work. That he would be ok.” Her voice was slightly watery, and a few tears glimmered in her eyes as she avoided Wanda’s gaze.

“Oh, Shuri, no,” Wanda cooed, taking her hand. “You did everything you could. None of what happened was your fault and I’ve never blamed you. What you were trying had never even been attempted before and you were doing it while your home was under attack. We were doomed from the start.” Wanda felt tears of her own prick at the edges of her eyes as she spoke. It was the truth. Of all the things that had plagued her mind since the Snap, it had never even occurred to her to blame Shuri for doing what was nearly impossible. After a moment, Shuri cleared her throat and looked up.

“Can we clear the lab, please?” she called, sending the techs quickly from the room. Wanda took the opportunity to dab at her eyes as Shuri wiped her own and looked back at her. “Now, why don’t we get to business? Tell me what brought you all this way.” The princess reached out and took Wanda’s hand again, squeezing it gently and offering her a reassuring smile. With a deep breath, Wanda began.

“Last week, I had a dream,” she said. “A nightmare actually. About Vision. I could see him, but I couldn’t get to him. It was like he was behind glass or something that I couldn’t get through. He kept telling me that he’d been saved, and I just needed to get to him.”

“Why would a nightmare bring you here?” Shuri asked, furrowing her brow.

“In the dream, he was here,” Wanda said. “He was back in your lab on the table that you worked on him. All he could or would say was that he’d been saved, and I needed to get to him.”

“I’m sorry, Wanda, but I don’t understand.” Shuri pressed. Wanda took another breath and looked up.

“Vision’s mind was more like a hard drive than an organic brain, right?” She waited for Shuri’s confused nod before she continued. “The way he kept saying he’d been saved got me thinking. When you had him hooked up to him is it possible that you did save him? Or a version of him? Maybe downloaded the parts of him you were able to reprogram before the aliens breached the lab?” Realization washed over Shuri’s face as Wanda spoke, followed by skepticism.

“I…I did but…,” Shuri stammered. “Here. I’ll show you.” Screens flared to life as Shuri spun in her chair and began to type. Her finger flew across the keys until a hologram appeared behind them. Wanda turned to face the yellow orb, bigger than her at full height, and gasped softly. She stood and walked toward it, lifting her hand to the flickering lights even though she knew she wouldn’t be able to touch them.

“Is…is this…?” she tried, trailing off as a lump rose in her throat. She could feel him. Vision wasn’t here, she knew that. The hologram was just that, and the bits of data on Shuri’s computer weren’t him either, but somewhere between there and here, was him. He filled the air around her, managing to seep into her very soul without even knowing it. Her breath shuddered as she looked over the hologram again, knowing in her heart that she had found him, just like he wanted.

“Yes and no,” Shuri said, stepping up beside her. “This is what I was able to download of him. It’s incomplete though. Vision was more like a program than a hard drive. He was capable of learning and growing much like us. There are large gaps where I haven’t been able to recreate the data sequences. I’ve run every program I can think of and nothing can fill them in. Something is missing that I can’t identify.” Wanda listened, her hand still raised, as Shuri spoke. She could see the gaps now, cracks in the foundation of Vision’s mind. With a slight tilt of her head, Wanda sent a current of red energy through the air. It attached to the hologram in front of her, springing through and closing the gaps it encountered. Shuri’s eyes widened and she stepped back in shock.

“Something like that?” Wanda asked. Keys were already clicking furiously behind her as Shuri analyzed what was happening. 

“Incredible,” she breathed. “This is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Neuro-electric interfacing using psionic energy. It’s filled in the gaps in Vision’s coding.”

“The same Infinity Stone that gave me and my brother our powers was used to create him,” Wanda said, forcing herself to keep her eyes up. “Is it possible…could this be enough to bring him back?” Shuri turned to face her, the excitement of a moment ago faltering. Wanda refused to turn around, not wanting to see Shuri’s response before she heard it. This was what had been playing on her mind since she was shaken awake from her nightmare. If Vision had been saved then maybe, just maybe…

“In theory, this is now a complete file,” Shuri explained. “But we have no way to test what you’re asking for. There is no…his body was destroyed.” Wanda nodded as she studied the hologram, her eyes gliding over where the pieces of him combined with the pieces of her.

“He was made of vibranium,” she said, speaking more to herself than Shuri. “Ultron took it from Ulysses Klawe and forced Dr. Cho to create his body in her regeneration cradle.” Shuri took a step toward her before sprinting to the other side of the lab, hitting a button on the far wall. A low hiss sounded as a tube slid from the wall, sleek and white with a glad covering. 

“Something like this?” she asked with a smirk. Wanda let out a breathless chuckle as she walked toward it, letting her fingertips slide across the cool metal. 

“Shuri…,” Wanda said thickly. “Do you think it could work?” Sighing deeply, Shuri looked across at her. Wanda steeled her nerves, preparing herself for the worst. She half expected the genius to tell her how ridiculous she was being and what a waste of time this was.

“It may be possible,” she said after a minute, causing Wanda to snap her head up. “But you have to understand something. Even if this works, we have no way to guarantee what we’ve created. The data was corrupted, and we’ve recreated it, but it might not be exactly what he was. You need to be prepared for him to be something entirely different than what he was.” Try as she might to keep it at bay, for the first time since the battle Wanda found herself filled with hope. Even as Shuri explained everything that could go wrong it burned deep in her chest. She glanced back at the hologram still flickering in the air and once again felt the overwhelming presence of Vision. She couldn’t explain it, but she knew it was him. And she knew it would work.

“Please try,” she whispered, wiping away tears she didn’t realize were falling. “If it doesn’t work I’ll understand but I can’t have some all the way not to. If you think there’s even the slightest chance it could work then please I’m begging you. Please help me.” The air between them was still as Shuri chewed her bottom lip. Wanda didn’t move a muscle for fear of shattering the silence that stretched throughout the lab. After what felt like eons, Shuri finally answered and her words almost made Wanda faint. 

“Meet me back here in two hours.”

Never, in all her life, had two hours felt so long. Wanda attempted to fill the time by walking the castle grounds but even the beauty of the Wakanda palace couldn’t distract her from the nervous knot in her stomach. Could this really work? Was it possible she could have the reunion she felt for so long she’d never get? She took slow, deep breaths, attempting to calm her racing mind. She was getting ahead of herself and she knew that Shuri would do everything she could, but even then the deck was once again stacked against them. Rounding another corner, Wanda found herself outside the lab for the fourth time since she’d left it. Her subconscious seemed determined to drag her back here at any opportunity. A quick glance down at her watch showed it had only been an hour and forty-five minutes, but she couldn’t wait any longer. Slowly, she stepped inside.

The techs Shuri had sent away earlier had returned and were buzzed about the lab. The cradle on the left of the room was glowing softly, no doubt hard at work creating. Wanda wanted to run to it. She longed to look inside and see Vision’s face, waiting for her to wake him up. She took a half-step before stopping herself, shaking her head. If she did see him and the plan failed, it would be like losing him all over again, and she wasn’t sure she could bear it. Thankfully, her spiral was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“You’re early,” Shuri chirped, smiling as she approached. “But so am I. The process is nearly complete.”

“Did it work?” Wanda asked hopefully.

“I don’t know yet,” Shuri answered. “The body is complete, and his consciousness is uploading. Here, look.” She took Wanda’s arm and led her to the largest screen in the lab, right next to the cradle. As they passed it Wanda’s eyes drifted over it and she squeezed Shuri’s arms gently as she whispered to herself. 

“Bevaqashah, Elohim.”

Shuri tapped at the keyboard and the screen blinked to life, but not in a way that either of them had expected. A black and white image popped up, showing what looked like a suburban house with a white picket fence. They looked at each other in confusion as an announcer came on.

“Coming up next, our By The Decades Marathon! We’re bringing you some of the best episodes of television from the 1950’s all the way to today so don’t touch that dial!” Shuri’s eyes widened and her jaw clenched as she stared at the screen.

“Who has been using my lab to watch old American TV?” she shouted. The techs in the room looked up quickly, all seemingly as confused as she was.

“Well, you can’t expect me to watch it in the throne room, can you?” Everyone working in the room stopped at the sound of the new voice, standing up straight and crossing their arms over their chests. Wanda turned to follow their gaze and smiled when she saw their king. T’Challa strode toward her, quickly crossing his arms and dropping them to allow the techs to release their own and get back to work. Shuri begrudgingly mirrored the gesture as her brother pulled Wanda into a gentle hug.

“It is good to see you again,” he said with a smile.

“Sorry for such short notice,” Wanda replied as she hugged him back. “I can’t thank you enough for opening your home.” T’Challa released her and waved his hands, shaking his head gently.

“You will always be an honored guest,” he said. “Wakanda is always open to you.”

“And apparently my lab is always open to you,” Shuri muttered under her breath. The king heard her, of course, and arched a brow in her direction. 

“One of the many perks of being king is that all of the palace is always open to me,” he smirked. “What did I do now?” Shuri glared at him and gestured angrily toward the image still displayed on her screen. 

“You’re using my sensitive scientific equipment to watch television,” she snapped. “Do you know how expensive this is?”

“Of course I do,” he replied. “I am the one who paid for it. Besides, these screens are bigger than the ones in my chambers.”

“Then get yourself some bigger ones and stop using my lab.” Wanda bit back the giggles threatening to burst forth at their bickering. They reminded her of herself and Pietro, always squabbling over something or another up until his last day. T’Challa tossed her a wink as he stepped aside to watch Shuri work. Once the black and white TV program had been angrily swiped aside she pulled up Vision’s schematic again. With a couple more taps a nearly full progress bar popped up on the screen. 

“When will we know?” Wanda asked. 

“Any minute now,” Shuri answered. “The upload is nearly finished.” The entire lab waited, holding their breath as they watched the bar. It crept, almost mockingly slow, jumping bit by bit toward the far end. Each time it moved the crowd leaned forward by a fraction of an inch as if they were trying to force it the rest of the way. Wanda’s breath caught in her throat as the bar finally reached 100%.

But nothing happened. 

Everyone exhaled in defeat and Wanda felt the air rush from her lungs. Energy danced at her fingertips as her hands began to shake. She was stupid to let herself believe this would work. Vision was gone and nothing could change that. Not even the smartest people in the world.

“Thank you for trying,” she muttered to Shuri, turning slowly to go. If she found Clint quickly they could probably leave before nightfall. 

“Wait!” Shuri called, her eyes still on the screen. “It should have worked. Everything is right. Maybe…”

“Maybe what?” T’Challa asked. 

“Wanda,” she said plainly, turning toward her. “You said the Infinity Stone that gave you your powers also created Vision. We used your psionic energy to fill in the gaps in his code. It formed parts of him. Maybe if we use your powers to…jump-start him it will be enough to do the job.” Hope flickered in Wanda’s heart again as she nodded. 

“Tell me what to do,” she said.

“When I open the cradle you hit him with energy until I tell you to stop,” Shuri replied, turning back to the keyboard. “Too much and we could fry him, too little and it won’t work.” Wanda took a step forward and raised her hands, her eyes glowing red as she readied herself.

“Ready when you are.” The techs in the room scurried from her path as the women prepared themselves, hiding behind tables and shelves. Shuri kept her eyes on the screen as she hit the final key, opening the lid of the cradle. 

“Now!”

Wanda willed herself not to look at the body in the cradle as she blasted her energy at it. She focused instead on the bright red stream connecting them, gritting her teeth as she increased her power.

“A little more!” Shuri yelled. “We’re almost there!” Wanda didn’t reply, only grunted softly as she pushed herself harder. Objects started to clatter and rise from their places around her as frightened techs bolted from the room. Her eyes glowed brighter as beakers went flying to the floor, shattering as they did. The prototype suit in the corner toppled to the ground as T’Challa grabbed his sister’s arm.

“Shuri, enough!” he yelled. 

“A little more!” she cried again, gripping the counter tight. He kept hold of her as Wanda pushed harder, the red glow of her power near blinding. She could feel herself growing light-headed but gathered all the strength she had to focus. She had to. For him.

“Stop!” Shuri yelled suddenly. Wanda let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding and dropped her arms. The red glow died from her hands and as it did a pulse of energy emitted from her chest. It traveled across the room and knocked the royals to the ground, hitting Shuri’s computer and sending sparks raining through the air. Wanda gasped and rushed over, dropping to her knees between them.

“Are you alright?” she breathed. “I’m so sorry.”

“We’re ok,” T’Challa assured, rising from the floor and helping Shuri to her feet. “I hope that worked or I’m sending you the bill for all this.” Wanda allowed herself a small chuckle before looking over at Shuri and swallowing thickly.

“Did it?” she asked. Shuri finished dusting herself off and righted her keyboard, typing quickly and furrowing her brow.

“His consciousness is fully reconciled,” she said, causing Wanda’s breath to hitch. “But something’s keeping it from taking hold in the body. It’s not initializing.”

“Can you fix it?” T’Challa asked. 

“I’m not sure,” she replied. “Maybe.” The two of them continued talking as Wanda slowly turned to face the cradle. She didn’t want to, but something in her told her she needed to. Her feet moved forward of their own volition. 

He looked like he was sleeping, except she knew he wasn’t. Vision didn’t sleep. Whenever Wanda needed to, he just held her and watched. She was somewhat surprised that he looked exactly as he had the last time she saw him. Shuri had even put a replica of the mind stone in his forehead. Wanda’s fingers ghosted over it, afraid to let them touch.

“Shuri,” she said abruptly, ending the sibling squabble behind her. “Can you put me in his head?” The Wakandans looked at each other in confusion before turning back to her.

“What do you mean?” Shuri asked. 

“Neuro-electric interfacing,” Wanda replied, parroting her words from earlier. “Can you get me in there? Maybe the reason he’s not initializing is I need to be in his head to jump-start him.”

“Wanda it might be time to accept-“ the king began.

“can you do it?” Wanda interrupted harshly, turning toward them. The other Wakandans still in the room gasped at her treatment of their monarch, but T’Challa waved them off as Shuri answered. 

“In theory, yes,” she said. “But I’ve never tested it on another person.”

“I’m used to being a test subject,” Wanda replied. “If it doesn’t work I promise to let this go. I just have to know we tried everything.” Her eyes pleaded with the young girl before her, desperation oozing from her as she fought back tears. After a moment, Shuri nodded. 

“Are you sure about this?” T’Challa asked, looking around the lab. Both of the girls nodded as Shuri pressed a button on her kimoyo beads. Next to the cradle that held Vision’s body, a second bed emerged from the wall. 

“Lay down,” Shuri instructed. Wanda moved to take her place, looking at the cradle next to her as Shuri started typing again. Her screens flickered back to the TV marathon and started playing an old sitcom theme song.

“Bast!” she yelled, hitting the screen sharply to get it back to normal. “No more television in my lab!” Her brother scoffed at her as she walked over to Wanda and began fitting sensors to her head. 

“What are those?” Wanda asked nervously.

“Uplink nodes,” she replied, moving to fit matching ones to the body in the cradle. “They’ll connect the two of you and let me monitor your brain activity. I don’t know what you’ll find once you’re in there so if I see any readings I don’t like I’m pulling you out.” Wanda took a deep breath and nodded, looking up at the ceiling. 

“Ok,” she replied. “Thank you.” Shuri smiled at her and brushed her hair back from her forehead.

“See you on the other side,” she smirked. Wanda’s breathing picked up as Shuri made her way back to her station. After a few more strokes of her keys, she looked back. “Interfacing in 3…2…1. Now!” She hit the enter key and Wanda felt a surge of electricity hit her. She gritted her teeth and grunted softly before feeling herself slip into unconsciousness. As she did, another pulse of energy emitted from her, gentler than before but still enough to rock Shuri’s equipment and send out another wave of sparks. For a third time, the announcer’s voice filled the lab.

“Up next on our By The Decades Marathon; From 1955 the critically acclaimed Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode: Breakdown!”


	2. Episode Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is based off the Alfred Hitchcock Presents Episode "Breakdown."

_Something is very wrong here._

Wanda heard him before she could see him. She moved to sit up and groaned softly, lifting her hands to the back of her head. A lump had formed there, almost like she had been thrown to the ground with some force. But that couldn’t be right. She had been in Shuri’s lab just seconds ago when…

“Vision,” she mumbled, her eyes flying open. This time she did sit up, ignoring the pain in her head as she looked around. Confusion overwhelmed her as she tried to make sense of where she was. This couldn’t be Vision’s mind. He would never create a place like this. The scene before her was horrific. From what she could piece together a convertible, that was now completely totaled, had plowed into a construction site, killing the workers there. It took her a few seconds of staring to register what she should have realized the instant she opened her eyes. Everything around her, from the car to the road and even the sky, was in black and white. She looked down at the clothes she was wearing, and her eyes widened. She was clad in an A-line dress, complete with petticoats and stockings, and white pumps, all of it in shades of grey. Her hands passed over the fabric gently as she struggled to understand what was going on. Had something gone wrong during the uplink? Shuri was supposed to be connecting her with Vision, so why did it look like she had been thrown into a 1950’s TV show? Something tugged at the back of her mind as she mulled it over, the sound of some far-off announcer echoing in her brain.

“The marathon,” she breathed, remembering Shuri and T’Challa bickering in the lab. His shows had been on the same computer Shuri had used to link Wanda and Vision. Something must have happened and blurred the lines between Vision’s consciousness and T’Challa’s marathon. Great, she thought, sighing deeply and looking around. For all the carnage she’d found herself in, it was oddly quiet. A few birds chirped nearby but other than that, there was nothing. 

“Vis?” she called, looking around. “Vision? Are you here?”

_Vision? Is that someone’s name? How odd._

It was him again. Wanda could tell. Only he wasn’t speaking to her. She could tell from the way his voice echoed gently that she was hearing his thoughts and not his voice. She pulled herself to stand and dusted her dress off, looking around. The convertible had slammed into the back end of the work truck and by the tracks on the ground, Wanda could tell the driver had swerved to try and avoid the crash. The attempt had obviously been futile, and now nobody seemed to be left to tell the tale. 

“Vision,” she called again. “Where are you?” Her eyes scanned the scene, fear looming over her at the idea of finding Vision broken on the ground, but she didn’t see anything. It wasn’t until she took a closer look at the car that she noticed something she hadn’t seen the first time.

_Whoever this Vision is must be someone important to her. I hope he’s not one of the men I hit._

In the driver’s seat of the car, pinned with the steering wheel against his chest, was Vision. Gasping, Wanda ran toward him and pulled open the passenger door.

“Vis,” she sighed, looking over him. He looked like he had when they had been in Edinburgh. His light hair fluttered in the breeze as Wanda crouched in the seat beside him. The front of the car was crushed inward and the steering wheel that had trapped Vision against the seat had also forced his head back. He stared blankly up at the sky, seemingly unaware of Wanda’s presence. 

“Vision?” she asked softly, brushing his hair back. “Can you hear me?” In the distance, she could hear sirens approaching, and for some reason, they made her anxious. She wasn’t sure why, but it only made her more determined to break through whatever this was and get him out.

_Oh, goodness. She is quite lovely. I hope she finds who she’s looking for. Maybe she’ll be kind enough to help me along the way. I can’t move so much as a finger to help myself._

Wanda could hear his thoughts clearly, but he didn’t even flinch. His eyes stared upward, fixed and unblinking at the sky and he made no indication that he’d heard her at all. The crash must have paralyzed him and now he sat, helpless and scared before her. Wanda’s hands shook as she cupped his face gently, moving closer so she was in his line of sight.

“Vision, it’s me,” she whimpered, fighting back tears. “It’s Wanda. I’m here to help you but I need you to give me something. Let me know that you can hear me.”

_Wanda. Such a pretty name for such a pretty woman._

“Yes, Wanda,” she said, her eyes scanning his face. “I’m here, my love.” Wanda thought she saw a flash of something in his eyes as she answered him, but it was gone in an instant. 

_She thinks I’m this Vision person. I wish I could tell her I’m not. I’m…well I’m…I’m not quite sure who I am._

“You _are_ Vision,” she said firmly, brushing her fingers along his jaw. “Just stay with me. I’m going to get you out of here.” 

_If I didn’t know any better I’d say she could hear my thoughts. Remarkable._

Wanda sat back in the seat and furrowed her brow. The sirens were approaching quickly but they were still far enough away that she couldn’t see anything. Time was against her, so she needed to work quickly. Taking a deep breath, Wanda raised her hands and focused on the dash, willing it to lift off of Vision’s chest. 

But nothing happened. 

There was no movement, no flash of red light, and no surge of energy. All there was, other than the mangled car and the whirring sirens in the distance was Wanda, with her hands raised uselessly in front of her. 

“I-I don’t understand,” she mumbled to herself, waving her hands again. Still nothing. 

_Oh, good. I can hear sirens. She must have sent for help. Hopefully, they can get me free._

Wanda kept frantically waving her hands, trying with all her might to force the dashboard to move, but it remained determinedly still, and Vision along with it. In desperation, she pressed her back to the seat and planted her feet against the console. She pushed as hard as she could, groaning and gritting her teeth, praying it would give slightly, but it stayed put. Sweat started to break along her forehead to match the tears of frustration that were forming in her eyes. The sirens were growing closing by the second, bringing with them a growing sense of dread in the pit of her stomach. 

_She’s trying so hard to help. I wish I could tell her how grateful I am._

There was something different about his thoughts. They seemed to be fading, almost like he was moving farther away even though he hadn’t moved an inch. Panic flared in her chest as she quickly sat back up, taking his face in her hands again. His skin was warm from the sun beating down on him and somehow clammy at the same time.

“Vis,” she said softly, looking into his eyes. “Listen to me. Stay with me. None of this is real. It’s all in your head, ok? You can get yourself out, you just have to wake up. Remember who you are. Who I am.”

_All in my head? She must have been injured in the crash. She’s not making sense._

“I’m not injured and I’m not crazy!” she persisted. “I’m Wanda. I’m _your_ Wanda. The first person you saw when you came into this world and the last person you saw before…,” Her voice thickened and trailed off as the tears she’d been holding back finally managed to break free. 

_Perhaps she can hear my thoughts somehow. Maybe she’s some type of superhero. Oh, now I’m just being preposterous. There’s no such thing as superheroes._

A sob escaped her as she looked down at Vision, whose eyes remained staring unfocused ahead. She was so close. Vision was literally in her grasp and she could feel him slipping away again, and there was nothing she could do.

_Oh, she’s crying. Poor girl. I wish I could comfort her. Imagine, someone in my position wanting to offer comfort. If only I could tell her I’m alright. I don’t feel any pain but the pain in my heart at her sadness._

“Please,” Wanda whispered, looking down at him. “Please, Vis. You have to remember. Remember me. Remember us.” As the sirens rounded the final corner, she took a shuddering breath and leaned down, softly pressing her lips to his.

_Oh._

She stayed there for a moment, fighting back the urge to openly sob. It felt like a lifetime since she’d kissed him and now that she was, it didn’t feel like him at all. His lips didn’t move and his arms didn’t wrap around her. He just stayed in the same spot he’d been in when she found him, still as ever. After a few seconds, Wanda pulled away and rested her forehead against his, her eyes still closed. She didn’t have the strength in her to look down at his frozen face again. This couldn’t be it. She couldn’t have come so far for it to end like this.

“Wanda.”

His voice was clearer now. She wasn’t hearing his thoughts anymore. He was speaking to her. With a gasp, her eyes flew open and she pulled back to look at him. Vision stared back at her and blinked. In the time it took for him to blink, everything changed. What before was black and white changed to color. The old-fashioned dress she had been wearing was replaced by the jeans and sweater she’d had on in Shuri’s lab. The biggest change, however, was Vision. In the span of his one blink, he went from a blonde-haired, fair-skinned man, to the red-toned android he’d been when Wanda had lost him. His head tilted slightly, and a smile formed on his lips as he looked up at her. More tears fell from Wanda’s eyes and she held his face in her hands.

“Vision?” she asked softly, unsure if she could even believe her eyes.

“It’s me,” he said, reaching up to tuck some hair behind her ear. “I remember.” Wanda sobbed again and took his hand in hers, squeezing tight. 

“I thought I lost you,” she breathed, her voice breaking. 

“From the looks of things I’d say you almost did,” he replied, turning his head as best he could. “What is this place?”

“It’s not important,” Wanda answered, shaking her head. “We just need to get you out. Can you help me move-“

The loud thud of a car door slamming nearby cut her off, and Wanda’s head snapped up, her eyes widening as she did. As quickly as things had changed around her a moment ago, they reverted when her eyes left Vision. Color drained from the air, leaving her stuck back in the monochromatic landscape she’d woken up in. She felt Vision’s hand slide from hers and looked down, covering her mouth to hold back her gasp. He had shifted back to his human form and his eyes once again stared blankly up at the sky.

“No, no, no,” she murmured, shaking his shoulders gently. “No, Vis, please. Come back to me. Please.” He kept staring, quiet and unmoving, despite Wanda’s pleas. Quiet pressed in around her as she realized with horror that she could no longer hear his thoughts. The only sounds now were the soft chirping of birds, the rushing of the paramedics to the scene, and the desperate sobs of a heartbroken woman.

“Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to exit the vehicle,” one of the medics said. Fear flooded her as they approached. She didn’t want to leave him. There was no reason to distrust them but something in her told her she needed to stay. 

“I have to stay with him,” she said, resting her hand on his chest. “He needs me.”

“If you want us to help him, get out of the way,” the second medic said, pushing the passenger door open again. Wanda’s head snapped frantically from the medic to the helpless Vision, once again trapped in the car. She had no power here, and neither did he. As much as she distrusted the strange world she’d found herself in, she knew the medics would be his best chance. Slowly, she leaned down to kiss his forehead.

“I’ll be right here,” she whispered softly, sliding out the open door. Her eyes stayed on his as the paramedics worked to free him. A small crowd had gathered near the ambulance, along with a pair of police cars. Wanda could hear the mumbling of hushed conversations, but she paid them no mind. All she could focus on was Vision being slowly removed from the car and placed on a stretcher. Her heart skipped a beat when one of the paramedics put the stethoscope to his chest, looking up at his partner and shaking his head.

“There’s nothing,” he said, placing his instrument back around his neck. “He’s gone.”

“No!” Wanda cried, running forward. “He’s not! I just heard him!” Before she could reach the men who were pulling a white sheet over Vision’s face, a police officer stepped in front of her. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, pulling her back.

“Miss, you have to stay back,” the officer said, struggling to keep a frantic Wanda at bay. “Your friend is gone. Let the medics do their jobs.”

“He’s not dead!” she screamed, clawing at his hands desperately. “He’s not! You don’t understand. Please! Let me help him!” Wanda fought as hard as she could against the officer’s grip, but it was like she was moving in slow motion. Her screams seemed muted even to her own ears as she watched the stretcher being loaded into the ambulance. The crowd around it had grown and she could make out a bit of what some of them were saying. 

“Poor girl. Must be her husband. Look at her, she’s so distraught.”

“Just horrible really. Such a terrible accident.”

Wanda kept pulling at the hands of the officer who held her back, screaming at the top of her lungs that Vision was alive. She tried to will her powers to surface, to force some small display to the surface to convince them, but nothing happened. 

“Please, he’s not dead!” she screamed again. “He’s alive! You have to let me help him!” The doors on the back of the ambulance closed and Wanda’s stomach dropped. She was losing him. Again. Only this was so much worse than before.

_Сестра._

Wanda froze in the officer’s arms as her eyes darted around. She hadn’t heard that voice in so long that she’d almost forgotten it. As though she ever could. Her heart hammered in her chest as she searched for him and an entirely new wave of tears and grief filled her. And then-

_WHOOSH_

The strange blue blur flew past her at an impossible speed. It knocked her to the ground, earning a surprised “oh!” as she landed flat on her bottom.

“Miss!” the officer beside her exclaimed, crouching down to help her up. “Miss, are you alright?” He helped her to her feet as she brushed the dirt from her dress, utterly baffled at what had just occurred.

“Goodness, me!” she exclaimed. “Yes, I suppose I am. That sure knocked me for a loop!” She chuckled softly at the officer who looked at her with a puzzled expression.

“Are you sure you’re alright, miss?” he asked again. “You look like you’ve been crying.” Confused, she wiped at her cheeks, surprised to find the officer was right. 

“It seems I have been,” she said, furrowing her brow. “I can’t imagine why.”

“Well, this was quite a disturbing scene,” the officer explained. “Especially for a lady like yourself. Delicate constitutions don’t do well with horrors like this.” The officer nodded over her shoulder and she turned around, gasping softly and covering her mouth. A car had crashed into a work truck, leaving nothing but a couple of mangled piles of metal behind.

“How dreadful!” she said, quickly turning back to the officer. “Was anybody terribly hurt?”

“I’m afraid so, miss,” he replied solemnly, pointing to the ambulance that had just started to pull away. “That’s the driver of the convertible they’re taking away now. He didn’t make it.” A strong pang of sadness that she didn’t quite understand filled her heart as she watched the ambulance pull away. It had a curious symbol on the back, some sort of eagle with its wings curled in, and she found the sadness growing stronger as it rounded the corner. 

“Oh, how tragic.”

~

Shuri groaned softly and sat up, rubbing the spot on her elbow that had collided with the floor gingerly. T’Challa stood before her, hands outstretched to help her up.

“What in the name of Bast is going on?” he asked, pulling her to her feet. “I thought you had this under control.”

“I’m in uncharted territory here, bother,” Shuri said, righting her chair and turning back to her computer. T’Challa followed her, peering over her shoulder at the data filling the screen. 

“That’s the second energy blast that’s come from Wanda since you connected her to Vision,” he said. “Is she attacking us?”

“I don’t think so,” Shuri replied, her eyes still on the screen. “Just before the blast, all of the data I had for her vanished. 

“What do you mean, vanished?” the king asked. 

“It was like she wasn’t even connected to the uplink anymore,” she explained. “Her mind slipped into Vision’s consciousness completely. I think the second blast was her mind attempting to bring itself back into alignment with her body.”

“Like she was rebooting herself?”

“More or less.”

“Can you stop it from happening again?”

Before Shuri could answer, the screen in front of her flickered and the voice of the marathon announcer once again blared to life.

_Coming up next: We flash forward to 1965 for a beloved episode featuring everyone’s favorite witchy housewife. It’s the Bewitched classic “That’s My Wife.”_


End file.
